To ensure competitive balance and to keep cost down, most leagues institute a salary cap, which is a limit on which a team can spend on player's salaries. The NHL has a cap ranging from 40.7m-56.8m, the NFL 112m-127m and the NBA with a soft cap of 59million. The MLB is currently one of the only large market sports without a salary cap. Teams like the Yankees and Braves have never missed the postseason under the new salary cap rule, while small market teams like the Pirates and Royals don't have the necessary funding means to compete. The Tampa Bay Rays recently have put to rest this notion that small market teams can't compete with the "big boys" with 3 straight post season appearances including one American League Pennant. One fact to consider is that when the majority of their star players became free agents, they were almost forced to trade them or let them walk to different teams in order to save money. With so much money in professional sports, there is indeed a way to strike up a prospective collective bargaining agreement in which teams can build around a set salary limit, so that every team has a fair chance to compete and sign/retain any player of their choice.
I think the MLB needs something. They need to at least have a salary basement to make teams spend money on the players. But the Yankees have proven that money doesn't buy you championships. So it will be interesting to see if the MLB decides on salary cap with the next CBA.
ReplyDeleteI think the MLB should have a salary cap because it would provide equal opportunity for both big time and small time organizations like the Pirates, Marlins,and Royals. I think the MLB would be alot better off with a salary cap.
ReplyDeleteBaseball has to do something. It is disgusting to see the Pirates and other teams lose year after year. I agree with Steph that they should at least have a Salary Basement. It would make Pittsburgh happy at least
ReplyDeleteI recently read an article that MLB analysts and writers etc... are getting tired of reporting on the same teams year in and year out. I agree with them. I think the MLB needs a cap and a floor. A cap so teams like the Yankees and Red Sox can not attempt to buy a championship and a floor so teams like the Pirates, who have the money, can begin to compete at a serious level.
ReplyDeleteI think the MLB should adopt a salary cap for its teams. Every year its the same teams in the post season and people are losing interest because of it. With a salary cap more teams will be able to compete.
ReplyDeleteSalary Cap is a must. The contracts will only get bigger and bigger. Maybe with a salary cap it can help the pirates end their losing streak by allowing them to sign better players.
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